Indexed memoranda device



H. R. PEARCE INDEXED MEMORANDA DEVICE Sept. 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1958 Attorney P 1961 H. R. PEARCE 3,001,800

INDEXED MEMORANDA DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Unite This invention relates to indexed memoranda devices, that is to say devices such as are used for recording telephone numbers, addresses or any other information which it is desired to tabulate in alphabetical, numerical or like order, and having means whereby information tabulated under any desired letter, number or the like can readily be displayed for reference .thereto.

The object of this invention is to provide an indexed memoranda device the operation of which is not dependent on an element which must initially be set to a required letter, number or the like before the information tabulated thereunder can be displayed, and for spring or the like means for opening the device at the required letter, number or the like.

To this end according to this invention there is provided' an indexed memoranda device comprising two plates hinged together along one edge and pivotally associated with and/ or supported by elements which allow the two plates to be moved with respect to each other between a closed position in which they are disposed in superimposed relationship and an open position in which they are disposed an angular or co-extending relationship, the two plates being adapted to receive between them a plurality of superimposed cards or the like for receiving memoranda, the cards or the like being free to pivot at one edge with respect to each other and also to the hinged edges of said plates and each having a tab or the like indicating a given letter, number or the like.

According to a preferred feature of this invention one of the plates is furnished with means for engaging the other plate and the cards or the like, for fn'ctionally holding the plates and cards in their closed position and for holding the cards other than those which are moved to open the device at the information displayed under a required letter, number or the like. One of the plates may be provided, for example, with one or more pegs which extend through one or more apertures or slots respectively formed in the other plate and each of the cards or the like.

The parts of the device are preferably arranged so that they will always tend to move under their own weight to their closed pos-tion except when fully opened. This may be achieved by arranging the hinged edges of the plates so that they move through a dead-centre with respect to pivots of the supporting elements as the plates near their open position. The plates may also be furnished with means for limiting the opening movement thereof.

The embodiments of the invention which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings are concerned with devices for recording alphabetically names with telephone numbers. Indexing is, of course, achieved by letters of the alphabet, but it will be readily appreciated that for. other purposes indexing may be achieved by numbers, pictures or by any other desired means.

In the accompanying drawings:

FiGURE 1 shows an indexed memoranda device in accordance with one embodiment of this invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the device as shown in FIGURE 1, that is in its closed position,

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation showing the device partly opened,

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation showing the device in its fully open position.

States te Patented Sept. 26, 1961 ice 0 again being illustrated.

The device shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawings comprises a base plate 1 having near the back edge thereof two spaced pairs of lugs 2, one end of a forwardly extending arm 3 being pivotally supported between each pair of lugs. Towards its front edge the base plate 1 is provided wtih rigid upstanding side brackets 4.

The arms 3 and brackets 4 form supports for two plates 5 and 6 which are pivotally connected together at their lower edges by spaced rings 7, the back plate 5 being pivotally connected to the forward ends of the arms 3 and the front plate 6 being supported between and pivotally connected to the upper ends of the brackets 4.

Adjacent the rings 7 the front plate 6 is provided on its outer face with fxed wedge-shaped stop elements 8, and the back plate 5 is likewise provided with L-shaped stop elements 9, these elements being adapted to limit the opening movement of the plates 5 and 6 as will be ex plained in more detail hereinafter.

Disposed between the plates 5 and 6 is a pack of cards It for receiving notes of names and telephone numbers and these are hinged with respect to" each other and to said plates by the rings 7 which also pass through apertures in the cards, such apertures beinglarge enough to allow a relative sliding or up-and-down movement between the cards and the front plate 6 and the rings 7.-

Towards its upper edge the back plate is furnished at each side with a forwardly directed bracket or peg 11 which extends through slots 12 formed in the opposite edges of the cards 10 and the front plate 6, and the arrangement is such that the cards are, when in their closed postion, supported on the pegs 11 and lifted from the rings 7.

At the upper edge of each card there is provided an indicator tab 13, that is a tab which may bear a letter or letters for the names to go on that card, the tabs 13 as a whole being arranged in echelon directly behind identical letters provided on a strip 14 on the outer face of the front plate 6.

The arrangement of the parts of the device as described is such that when the device is closed (FIGURES l and 2) the two plates 5 and 6 lie in and are supported in parallel or superimposed relationship so as to be inclined slightly rearwardly from the lower to the upper edges thereof.

To open the device at a given letter it is merely necessary to draw the appropriate tab 13 forwardly, as indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 2. This draws the front plate 6 and all the cards 10 in front of the particular one required off the pegs 11. The card required and those behind it will still rest on and so be firmly held by the pegs 11, and will not even be drawn off them due to the natural suction effect between two cards actually being separated.

The two plates 5 and 6 hinge or open out firstly to form a V (FIGURE 3), the arm 3 pivoting with respect to the base plate 1 and the back plate 5, and the front plate 6 pivoting with respect to the side brackets 4. The lower edges of the two plates rise until the two plates are disposed in edge-to-edge co-extending relationship, any further opening movement being prevented by the en gagement of the stop-elements 8 and 9 (see FIGURE 4). Moreover, as the plates near their fully open position their connecting hinge rings 7 pass through a dead centre between the supporting pivots for the plates. When in their fully open position the two plates will therefore remain there, but as soon as the front plate is lifted far enough to move the connecting hinge rings 7 past the dead centre then the weight of the two plates will cause them to move into their closed position.

When fully opened (FIGURE 4) the required card It) is disposed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position in which the names and numbers thereon may easily be read, and additional names and numbers can easily be written down.

When it is desired to refer quickly to, that is merely check a number, the device need only be partly opened (see FIGURE 3). It will close again under its own weight in the manner already explained.

It will be noted that the brackets or pegs 11 are slightly rounded or pointed at their forward ends. This ensures that the cards readily slip on and off the pegs, it being appreciated that in actual fact they do in the process rise and fall with respect to the hinge rings 7.

In the modified construction shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 the pegs 11, and other parts have not, for the sake of simplicity, been indicated. In the construction shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 the back plate 5 is rigidly connected to a supporting bracket 20 which is pivotally connected at its rear end to the base plate 1. The front plate 6 is pivotally connected to the upper ends of arms 21 which are in turn pivotally connected at their lower ends to the base plate. The relative movement of the various parts during opening and closing of the device will be readily apparent.

In the construction shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 there is provided a pedestal 30, from the upper end of which the front plate 6 is supported by pivot links 31. The back plate 5 is furnished at its lower edge with a rearwardly directed tongue 32 which, in the closed position of the device, lies in slot 33 formed in the pedestal 30. As the device is opened the tongue 32 rides up out of the slot 4 and engages the portion of the pedestal above it (FIG- URE 8).

I claim:

1. A foldable rack for supporting index cards, including a base member, a pair of substantially similar plates adapted to hold between them a plurality of the said index cards in arrangement for individual inspection, hinge means furnishing a connection between adjacent edges of said plates and said cards, said plates being relatively pivoted from face-adjacent closed position with said cards confined between them to open position in substantial planar alignment with the cards displayed upon them, arm means for swingingly mounting said plates, as a unit, upon said base member, said arm mounting means including a pivotal connection between one of said plates and said base member, and bracket means of a length not greater than one-half the extent of said arm connected to said other plate at a point spaced from said hinge means and adjacent to the lateral edge thereof cooperating with said base member for guiding said plates, as a unit, from closed to open position, and vice versa, during their swinging movement with respect to said base member.

2. A foldable rack for supporting index cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brackets are fixedly attaohed to said base member.

3. A foldable rack for supporting index cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein said other plate is provided with a peg means ofr'standing therefrom and arranged to support the index cards out of contact with said hinge means when said plates are in face-adjacent closed position.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,087,336 Thurber Feb. 17, 1914 1,830,815 Twait Nov. 10, 1931 2,329,645 Panzetta Sept. 14, 1943 

